Campaign launched to demolish Kidderminster eyesore

Conservatives launch campaign to demolish Kidderminster Crown House

POSTCARDS will be delivered through residents' letterboxes this month as part of a fresh campaign to tear down Kidderminster's Crown House.

The 'Crown House Down!' campaign has been launched by Wyre Forest Conservatives after a deal to demolish the eyesore eight-storey building fell through at the 11th hour last month.

Wyre Forest District Council said Crown House tenants Telereal Trillium pulled out of an agreement which would have seen the company fund the demolition in exchange for the council surrendering its lease.

But council bosses were left seething after Telereal refused to sign legal documents, citing financial reasons.

Now, tens of thousands of postcards are being printed to be delivered to residents alongside their regular Conservative Group newsletter, which can then be signed and forwarded on to Telereal, calling for the building to be knocked down.

Juliet Smith, ward councillor for Blakebrook and Habberley South, said: "We've already delivered around 1,000 postcards. I've got 4,500 residents in my ward and they'll all be receiving a postcard in the next few weeks.

"All of the Conservative councillors are on board and we have a lot of wards of varying sizes so there will certainly be tens of thousands of postcards going out.

"We just really want Telereal Trillium to have a desk full to make them realise that they're not just making a council unhappy, but a lot of residents too."

The postcards, which are addressed to Telereal's planning director Jonny Pitts, read: "We, the undersigned, would like to express our outrage that you ahve decided to pull out of your agreement with Wyre Forest District Council to demolish Crown House at Telereal Trillium's own cost.

"We appreciate that this is of little importance to you, but it is of great importance to us!

"We urge you to get this unused and unwanted eyesore of a building demolished and to uphold Telereal Trillium's part of the long negotiated agreement."

The card also features a blank space for senders to add their own messages.

Councillors say the Crown House building, which has been rated one of the top ten ugliest in Britain, is 'detrimental' to the reputation of Kidderminster town centre and hinders other regeneration work.

Telereal Trillium did not wish to comment on the campaign, but previously told The Shuttle it was 'hopeful' a new agreement could be reached with Wyre Forest Council.

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